Families in central Okanagan will soon have access to 163 new licensed childcare places to improve childcare through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Minister for Child and Family Development Katrine Conroy said two new projects would provide quality space in an area where parents are struggling to find childcare.
“These new childcare places in West Kelowna and Lake Country mean more families have access to this vital service so that more parents can participate in the community and the economy while their children are well looked after,” she said.
Childcare BC’s New Spaces Fund is helping the Adventure Time Early Learning Center in West Kelowna create a total of 65 new childcare places, including 25 for children ages three to kindergarten and 40 preschool rooms. In addition to its childcare program, Adventure Time offers monthly parenting workshops on nutrition, education, literacy, and parenting skills. The center opened in July.
“Our early learning programs are heavily inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. We know that every child brings a unique perspective on the world and that every child has their own individual interests, ”said Theresa Martyn, owner of the Adventure Time Early Learning Center. “
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The Little Owl Society is also receiving funding to create 98 new rooms in a new Lake Country location – 24 places for infants and toddlers, 50 places for children ages three to kindergarten, and 24 places for school-age children. The center will offer indigenous programs including drumming, storytelling and teaching children about plants and protecting natural habitats. The Little Owl Society’s Lake Country site is slated to open in September.
This month marks the second anniversary of the launch of the New Spaces Fund, which approves an average of 700 new rooms for funding every month. To date, nearly 16,800 new rooms have been funded across the province to help parents get back to work, go back to school, or take advantage of other opportunities.
These new spaces are part of the fastest childcare creation in BC history. An additional 4,100 places funded by the 2017 budget update and the Early Learning and Childcare Agreement with the Government of Canada mean that more than 20,900 new licensed places have been added since July 2017.
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Daniel Taylor
Reporter, Kelowna Capital News
day care center
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